Last week, in an article written for this newspaper a day before the municipal elections in Karachi, I gave some detailed explanations of why the PPP should be the mayor of Karachi. As a result of the peaceful elections held in Karachi on January 15, the PPP emerged as the largest party in Karachi city. This municipal election is the first in the history of Karachi when Karachi remained more or less 100% peaceful; there were no killings and no major untoward incidents. This election was also unique in a way that the city of Karachi voted in large numbers in favor of the PPP, while Jamaat-e-Islami also emerged as the second largest party in Karachi in the elections, but the majority of Karachi rejected the PTI. Does the question arise that why the voters of Karachi trust PPP? Because the media and the anti-Bhutto lobby have created an impression about the PPP is a Sindhi party.
And the results of the election held on June 15 seemed to strongly contradict this impression, with citizens voting in large numbers in favour of the PPP chairman, vice chairman and councillors in every small and large area of Karachi.
PPP lost where rigging was loudest and PPP won where results were on time. The PPP was defeated in District, Korangi and East districts where there was talk of changing the election results. It is beyond understanding why Jamaat-e-Islami made a noise due to the late arrival of the results.
There are many factors involved in the victory of the Pakistan People’s Party in Karachi, but the most important role in the victory was played by the leaders of the Pakistan People’s Party in Karachi.
There are many factors involved in the victory of the Pakistan People’s Party in Karachi, but the most important role in the victory was played by the leaders of the Pakistan People’s Party in Karachi, including Saeed Ghani and Murtaza Wahab, who made their presence on the streets day and night in Karachi for the past few years. By making it mandatory, they highlighted the feeling among the citizens that the Pakistan People’s Party and its local leaders are not only serious about solving the problems of the citizens but also stand with them through thick and thin. When other parties were clamouring for power, this local leadership of the PPP went ahead and constructed the network of roads and overhead bridges even in those areas where the PPP had neither an MPA nor an MNA.
On the other hand, three PPP leaders have played an important role in the victory of PPP Karachi. Among these three leaders, Saeed Ghani, who is the president of PPP Karachi, organized the organization of PPP Karachi vigorously and brought good faces to the front in the local leadership of PPP. Murtaza Wahab’s restoration of the roads and parks was unprecedented in the past. Murtaza Wahab persuaded the citizens of Karachi through the KMC that if the intention is clear, caring for development in the city is not difficult or impossible, and he started and completed dozens of projects on the ground while serving as Karachi’s administrator. So complaining about power is a thing of the past, and citizens have realized that if given a chance in Karachi, PPP can outperform many.
Garbage was a major problem in Karachi, but the Sindh government has eradicated this problem forever, Sindh Solid Waste Management Board is now collecting garbage from house to house in most areas of Karachi. And the streets of Karachi are looking clean and certainly Sindh Local Government Minister Nasir Shah has a key role to play in this. The kind of transport facility available to the citizens of Karachi today is also a feat that forced the citizens of Karachi to vote for the PPP. Sindh Minister Sharjeel Memon has played a key role in giving Karachi an excellent transport system in a very short time.
These four ministers of Sindh seem to play a key role in the development of Karachi, but Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah himself is also seen working on the projects and roads of Karachi and this is the reason why the citizens of Karachi are convinced. PPP is the solution to their problems. And on January 15, citizens expressed this commitment by voting for PPP. PPP’s victory in Karachi is all because of massive transformation in the transport system, garbage cleaning, road infrastructure, health and newly constructed sewerage and drain storms in Karachi.
The writer tweets: @ShahzadmemonPPP.